Tag Archives: peace

Ya know, I was thinking about how easy it is for us all to see a problem coming. Regardless of what you believe, want to argue or debate; the truth is, we can see what could be perceived as a judgment; certainly a trial or tribulation. Possibly even a death sentence for many. Will it be you?

Back in Noah’s day, people were warned, but sadly, they paid no heed to Noah, nor God. They repented not. And yes, they saw the impending judgment, the rain, the waters of the deep, flood from above! And still, even though they saw the danger, did they repent? Was it too late? Did any humans survive? Only eight…..only eight.

Today, we saw, as sadly as it was, Hurricane Harvey, and now Hurricane Irma, with the possibility of more coming. And as we have seen from the past, Hurricanes, whether manufactured by evil men’s technology, mother nature rebelling mankind- unforgiving to millions, climate change…whatever you wish or have been indoctrinated to imagine; the point is….have you even thought of repenting? Telling God you’re sorry you have flaws, failures, have literally rebelled against Him? What if you repented? What if….the storm was a little more gentler when it comes your way. Ya know, as the days continue it seems the name of Jesus becomes to many a bad word, a name to not mention. Oh we say, “God” (and there’s only One) but it to some it’s vague. Why are so many afraid to even mention Jesus’ name?

And……….yet we can say a thousand times the name of a monster, the name of impending judgment- 😦

Maybe it’s time we call out on that name again. What do you think?

The Lord is coming back and I believe it’s soon….not by and by, but soon. Live every day as if it were as soon as tomorrow.

Luke 21

22 “For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. ”

Luke 17

26 “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. ”

Luke 21

7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? 8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. 9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. 10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: 11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. ”

Robin Hood is both. Translation= Robin Hood would have made a true America Hero.

He is a criminal in the eyes of the corrupted rulers of his time.

He is a hero to the town folk and the public, for distributing what should be theirs.

It can be agreed a hero is someone who regards and protects the people. It can be agreed a criminal is someone who works outside or against the set law.

It can then be agreed Robin Hood is someone who regards and protects the people, but does so in a way outside or against the set law.

A criminal is someone has committed a crime, however not all laws are moral or just. For example, the Holocaust was an official government program as was Apartheid.

Robin Hood stole from the wealthy because they gained their money unfairly because of their positions in the government. They got to keep their money because of tax exemptions, but the only way to keep the country running without removing those was to increase taxation on middle-to-lower class to outrageous levels.

By doing this Robin Hood broke the law and therefore became a criminal. Robin Hood did however become a hero of the citizens because he returned money that should have been theirs to begin with.

The word “grace” can be seen the first time in the King James Bible in the Old Testament- Genesis 6:8.

Noah, like many of us today, living among the most heinous evil society that world known up to that point, but Noah found grace. God favored him with His intentions about how He was going to destroy the earth- His just judgment how he would be saved and a part of new beginnings on earth.

Genesis 6:8 shows us Noah’s character. “Found” is a simple actionable verb, not a passive one. Noah found favor—grace—in God’s eyes because he was actively looking for it.

Similarly, Adam found no helpmate from among the animals that was suitable for him (Genesis 2:20), and Noah’s dove did not find rest for the sole of her foot (Genesis 8:9). Laban did not find his household images that Rachel had stolen and hidden (Genesis 31:35), and Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses.

(Ref. 2 Chronicles 34:14-15). God could have used a passive verb as He did in reference to Noah, but He didn’t.

What can we learn from this great man of God?

God intended for us to learn from those of ancients, and most of all, God’s record of events about them:

Rom 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

Noah’s life was righteous—in spite of the horrible condition of mankind’s hearts and deeds in the world of his day. He was looking for God’s direction and for the answers to his heart’s quest/questions.

Noah wasn’t just hanging around waiting for the inevitable destruction the flood of water, the judgment that he knew was coming as a result of the awful rebellion and perverted sin that surrounded him. Noah was anticipating a response from God—and when God gave him instruction, Noah “found” the favor that he sought!

Recipient of Grace

Many centuries later, God warned Ezekiel of future judgment that would happen to the land of Israel because of its wickedness. God identified three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—as examples of the best “righteous” men in history (Ezekiel 14:14, 20). If that comparison has any meaning, Noah was much more than a mere chance recipient of God’s grace.

Job:

Job was “His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.” (Job 1:3).

Job’s livestock resources were enormous. That certainly meant that he was a successful breeder of animals as well as a possible trader/ broker and possibly a source for prized stock. He had a large house/household and land—so much so that “bands” from nearby nations were in want to destroy his wealth.

God had labeled Job “And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” (Job 1:8). Job was much more than a “nice guy.” He was probably the wealthiest man of his day, and yet he was of such godly character, mind, and heart that God pointed him out him to satan, showing him that men were more dedicated to God and goodness than evil in spite of Job’s wealth, Job stood the test of time and satan looked like a fool- and a fool he is!!

Daniel was one of the king’s descendants and nobles from Judah taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:3). The account of Daniel and his three godly friends is well known among most Christians, but the experiences of Daniel often overshadow the long life that he led as the leader of the “learned men” of that day. He was commissioned as a “great man” by Nebuchadnezzar and “sat in the gate of the king” (Daniel 2:48-49). Daniel served in some form of senior advisory position for six kings over some 70 years. Not bad for a captive!

God said of Daniel as a “man greatly beloved” (Daniel 10:11). He was privileged to have unusual spiritual insight given to him from God, which he could have used to his personal advantage. But he always made it clear that he was gifted by God’s grace—to whom he always gave credit. Furthermore, God used Daniel to record several of the most remarkable prophecies in all of Scripture. Students of the Bible still discuss the book of Daniel. He was a significant person indeed!

If the comparisons of the righteous men listed in Ezekiel 14 are to be genuine comparisons, Noah must have been a person of significance in his region—if not well known throughout the world of his day. He clearly possessed or had access to the resources and skills needed to accomplish the monumental task that was assigned to him.

The pre-Flood civilization was certainly advanced enough for such an enterprise. The evolutionary cloud has mesmerized most of the world into relegating the “ancient” world into some sort of pre-human existence—living in caves and grass huts with animal skins for clothing; and not much more than that.

The Bible paints a much different picture! There were cities during Noah’s day, as well as developed technology that included metallurgy and the skills to build musical instruments (Genesis 4:17-22). Somebody had to construct the habitations for the growing population, and someone had to coordinate the distribution and development of those manufacturing places that produced the products needed by that society.

The world of Noah was very wicked, but it functioned with much the same needs as our current world. When the Lord Jesus wanted to emphasize the suddenness of the destruction in the coming end-times judgment, He did it by drawing a comparison with the “ordinary” life of the populations around Noah.

“And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:26-27)

Noah found grace, Noah was fully dedicated to the work of God during his life.

Walked with God

The Bible says that Noah was one of only two men in all of history who “walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). The other is Enoch, who may be more well known since he was taken by God’s and was found no more (Genesis 5:24). Efforts by some to portray Noah as a bumbling, drunken hypocrite are simply not true. God’s commentary is that Noah was “just” and “perfect” (upright, without blemish). The Creator entrusted him with a monumental task that is unique in all of history.

Noah was “just.” That simply means that he was known for his equitable dealings with others, fair and moral. Even in the wicked world that disgusted the Creator, Noah was “justified” in his ways, deeds, thoughts and character- Behaved righteously before God (Genesis 7:1).

Noah was “perfect.” That precious reputation, at least from God’s perspective, means that he was a man without condemnation. His “just” dealings resulted in a “blameless” record. Whatever the wicked people of his day may have said behind his back, they knew that Noah was above reproach. Just as folks today often resort to rumor-mongering and distortion of facts to cover their own guilt or boredom, those around Noah no doubt employed some of the same practices to discredit righteous Noah. He may well have had that kind of treatment, but God saw that he was “perfect.”

Preacher of Righteousness

Peter called Noah a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5). Think of what that means in the context of Genesis 6! The whole earth was “filled with violence” and “every heart” only thought of evil. The social condition (as is today) must have been a real mess. Yet Noah had the guts to stand up publically for the righteous and moral behavior that just about everyone else openly and loudly rejected.

Maybe his extended family and friends were under his influence, but by the time the judgment of God fell, only Noah, his wife, and three of their sons and their wives were willing to follow his leadership into the Ark. Many would consider a ministry with such results a failure today, and yet God insisted that Noah’s “…became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” (Hebrews 11:7)!

We are not told in Scripture what Noah preached about. Enoch (the other man who walked with God) preached about the return of the Lord in judgment (Jude 1:14-15). Noah may well have preached about the coming judgment of the Flood and the desperate need of the world’s people to turn back to their Creator God for salvation. Whatever he may have preached and however he implemented his heart’s desire, Noah was labeled a “preacher of righteousness” by the only Judge that ultimately counts.

God’s grace is always available. It is not hidden from anyone. But it must be “found” by God’s servants as we “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Credit: in most part to Henry M.

In analysis of parts of this write-up, it’s clear about three things: one, We need mercy. Two, we need to find grace in the Lord Jesus; cry out to God and ask for forgiveness. And three, judgments and apocalyptic-style scenarios are happening all around the world. Some judgments are being implemented and it’s time that we seek God’s grace and/ or remember the Lord for His grace and mercy being administered in our lives. The end is not yet; you have time, but don’t wait too long- NOW is the time!. -Moraldiplomat

Luke 21:9 “But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.”

Luke 21:25 “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;…..”

More terrible days are ahead for earth; it’s time to repent, trust God to get us through them and by His grace, avoid some (if not all of them) of them (days).

*This poem is dedicated to those that struggle, for family, to those who are confused; and to me: for a sister that has left me, friends I’ve lost, a mother that has forsaken me, and a father I miss dearly, my wife I cherish, and wisdom of all I hold onto. A man once said, ‘that if you don’t feel close to God anymore, it wasn’t Him Who moved.’

A Day of comfort is near; and if you read this and are worthy, then peace I bid to you. The world has dark corners, but light makes our shadows invisible; find Light again and open the door. I hear a knock ! I opened the door and alone no more. -Moraldiplomat

Where The Birds Hang Out (Poem)

Morning rise, boats can be seen; aloft the silky waves a morning serene,
Sand fills the earth, cresting the water’s shore as if they meet to open a new door.

Ripples of torrent water flow to the edge; an ocean of sea, depths of dredge,
Captivating to a few and yet this parcel for all stands stout.

This truly is a place where the birds hang out.

We all cannot fly, but swim it seems; we are carried to the heights by our hopes and dreams,

For the Lord Himself gives us a taste- we must glimpse, this too, leaving nothing to waste.

Brisk walking travelers go with delight as birds determined but not for flight;
Rods are raise and lines are thrown, and in patience we snag a meal condoned.

White caps from blue fields lunge at the new door of sand as cool and warm breezes fill the land.

Morning now turns to even; sense of peace and no more tears, for this land forbids evil to ever live here.

Water below, water high above. A mirrored image of what is and what was,
Gazing at the horizon- Earth move never not. Acknowledging the truth many have not sought,

Now floating above the water as we pass through the closing door, waiting, wadding for wet hills of righteousness to lift us up and out…

Make no mistake, there’s a deep state in the USA. And it may be our fault.

Think about what role the “culture wars” have in the structure of the Deep State.

The American public is bitterly and deeply divided over issues that ultimately boil down to, for some reason, identity crisis – i.e; race, religion, sex and the like. The internet is rife with stark animosity between a loose grouping of immoral secularist, LGBT and feminist progressives on the one hand vs. religious fundamentalists, gun advocates and conspiracy theorists on the other.

But is this cultural animosity genuine, or a sort of “permanent warfare” that reinforces the real political structure a-la the warring super-states in Orwell’s 1984?

Totalitarian systems have historically depended on the redirection (or misdirection) of popular discontent towards unpopular groups within the state and hostile foreign powers to maintain loyalty to regime among the public at large. This inevitably runs out, however, once the problems of the regime become intractable and the incompetence of the state can no longer be concealed, as happened in the U.S.S.R in the late 1980s.

Have the architects of the Deep State learned by now that having not one “official” ideology but two, and pitting them against one another in the public and in forums is, in fact, a vastly better way of keeping themselves secure in power?

Doing this maintains a veneer of political pluralism and fake democracy. Each side can simply blame the other for policy failure; or even gov’t failure. Public anger is directed towards one’s enemies in the culture war rather than at the corrupt political system; sad there’s that many stupid people in this country.

Most progressives have a LOT more animosity for low brow religious zealots, rural types and men’s rights activists than they do for defense contractors and Wall Street lobbyists, despite their own oft expressed disdain for GOP exploitation of cultural wedge issues to draw blue collar support away from the Demoncrats. Conservatives have a variation of the same theme wherein lower class white males blame minorities, atheists and feminism for their woes instead of deindustrialization. Of course, the later proceeds to be at least a woe in today’s society and is not preferred by most, but merely tolerated; which can be worse.

And all the while, the operations of the Deep State carry on almost completely unnoticed from any quarter on the political spectrum, and media conglomerates and their advertisers make out like bandits from stoking such controversies to increase viewer-ship and readership and possibly all out civil unrest.

We Let Them Run Amok; will we suffer for it as a people later;………..or sooner?

Creditin part to Derek P. with Moraldiplomat

BONUS VIDEO

BEHIND THE SCENES- This Is Why People Don’t Trust The News Anymore | THEY LIE TO US

A quick plot synopsis for you: King Richard the Lionheart has been out of England, waging war as part of the Crusades. He is captured and held for ransom when he attempts to return home. His brother, Prince John wants to seize the throne and be crowned king. The prince is aided and abetted by the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Robin, or Sir Robin of Locksley, is a nobleman who can’t stand by while Prince John savages the countryside, torturing the people into compliance, stealing their crops and animals and daughters, and forcing them to pay ruinous taxes.

Robin assembles a band of Merry Men, and they fight to stop oppression, killing when necessary. They also redistribute income, taking from the rich and giving to the poor.

Eventually, Richard the Lionheart returns to England, and Robin and his Merry Men are crucial to Richard’s overthrowing Prince John and returning to his throne.

And just what are the survival lessons from all this adventurous activity?
Well, first, always remember ALL your stakeholders. Robin is looking out for everyone.

He could care less about class distinctions like Normans (Prince John and his evil gang) vs. Saxons (some English nobles, but mostly the oppressed poor). Even though most of Robin’s work falls into the anti-Norman field, he’s open-minded enough (and open-hearted enough) to fall for a lovely Norman noblewoman, the Maid Marian.

Also, be a straight shooter. Robin is a straight shooter, literally and metaphorically. He tells it like it is, no matter who the audience is, no matter how dangerous the situation. He blusters his way into a banquet of Prince John’s and proceeds to call him a traitor for wanting to depose Richard. He does this while surrounded by dozens of armed men all loyal to the prince. It’s unlikely any of us will face hostile audiences who are ready, willing and able to kill, so if honesty is the best policy for Robin, it’s the best policy, period. It is amazing what good will can do for you when you earn it through honesty.

Robin is a straight shooter with bow and arrow, too. In disguise, he participates in a tournament that he knows is a trap for him. But he shoots straight and wins. Once again, he is almost killed. Once again, the Merry Men help him escape. If you insist on being completely honest in every and any situation, you will find it useful to have the Merry Men around to help you escape tight places. If you don’t have any Merry Men available, be sure to have an executable exit strategy.

Robin succeeds at communicating in this straightforward style because he’s passionate about his mission and he communicates that passion to everyone he meets. The lesson here is obvious; Enjoy what you do.

For crying out loud, Robin’s gang is called the Merry Men. They spend inordinate amounts of time laughing and singing while they steal from the rich and give to the poor. How amazing is it a bunch of men enjoy stealing from much richer men and getting away with it? It’s almost beyond belief amazing. If the Merry Men’s mission is to steal from the rich and give to the poor, they have absolutely no profit. None. Zero. But they pursue the mission with astounding zeal, gleefully giving away all their stolen riches (their profits). They pursue their mission at the risk of life and limb, living at poverty levels in the forest.

If you can get people to enjoy the work at hand, they will put up with many things to accomplish the mission. They’ll even enjoy it.

And, you won’t have to give up all your profits the way the Merry Men did.

Credit: Jonathan C.

*As always, thanks Jonathan!!!

*Great analogy! Always liked Robin Hood. Could use a few people like that in the world. Possibly, quit possibly; they’re already near.

1 Tim 6:17 “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; …”

Acts 20:35 “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Mt 19:21 “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”

Lk 14:13 “But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: …”

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The Question

"What I'm asking is this: Are we a happier human race? Is the world fundamentally a better place because of science and technology?
We shop at home, we surf the web.. but at the same time we feel emptier, lonelier, and more cut off from each other than at any other time in human history. We're becoming a synthesized society; in a great big hurry to get the next new cell phone or to achieve an adventurous cheap thrill. Glory seekers!
I think we’re looking for the meaning. Where is the meaning? We have mindless jobs, we take frantic vacations, deficit finance trips to the mall to buy more things that we think are going to fill these holes in our lives. Is it any wonder that we've lost our sense of direction?”
I think that many of our modern conveniences have given way to an immediate gratification attitude. It seems to me that too many of us have forgotten that it is the little things in life that bring the deepest joy. Things like a new car, a faster computer, and all the money one needs would seem to make us happy.
It seems to me that cradling of the face by a loved one in support, watching children playing with a big box and seeing the boat or the castle it is, or the satisfaction of a job well done, those things bring true joy. Why does it seem that the people who appear to have nothing smile more than people you meet in the street of a city? I think many of us have lost our way."